Haunted
by A. Leanne Vast
Summary: A Rush Of Blood To The Head Series, Episode 3. (The other two episodes need to be read before this one.) In this episode, lingering feelings about past actions haunt Dean and Cas, and Dean apologizes for his actions - or lack there of while Cas tells him he's the one who's sorry. Also, the Winchesters are on the case of a murdered family. (Story better than summary)
1. I'm Sorry

**A/N: This is (the revamped) episode three in the A Rush of Blood To The Head series. The first two episodes are called ****_Returns and Departures_****, and ****_When You Come Back Down, _****and if you want to know what's going on, I suggest you read those stories first. I know this first part, I'm Sorry, is kind of heavy. My dad was kind of my beta, and he thought some of what I wrote... wasn't quite... sufficient or something. So, where Cas's monologue is, there used to be something a lot simpler. (I don't remember what it said exactly because I first wrote this literally a year ago.) I'm sorry if it bothers you guys.**

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**A Rush of Blood To The Head: Series One**

**Episode Three: ****_Haunted_*******

**Part One: ****_I'm Sorry_********

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Dean was sitting on the edge of his bed. He had called to Castiel eight minutes ago and was just about to hit the talk button on his phone and tell Sam he could come back to the room. Then Dean heard the familiar flutter of wings and looked up to find the Angel of Thursday standing in front of him.

"Hello Dean."

"Cas," Dean sighed, thankful that the Angel had answered his call.

Cas could not quite meet the hunter's eyes. "You called?"

"Uh, yeah," Dean smiled nervously as he put his phone back in his pocket. "I was starting to think you weren't gonna show."

Cas sighed. "Dean, I have always come when you called. I will always come when you call."

Instead of that making him feel better, Cas's words only reminded Dean of all the times the Angel must have ripped himself away from the war in Heaven to help him with his measly little problems. Dean could only nod in response.

"Why did you call me?"

_Oh fuck right._ "Cas," the hunter cleared his throat, "I, I ... on behalf of Sam and me ... we, we're sorry."

Cas thought he knew what Dean was referring to, so he waited, hoping the hunter would continue.

"Sorry that we didn't notice that you were in trouble. That ... that you needed us, and that you were asking for help. You were right, we weren't listening." Dean looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry that I didn't listen. I should have paid attention the first time you said Heaven was a mess. And Sammy-"

Cas shook his head. "Sam wouldn't have cared or noticed, he had no soul the first time I spoke about the civil war."

Dean looked up, "Yeah but I did; I should have known. We could have started working on the problem before we even knew Sam didn't have his soul. I was just... too concerned with me and my pathetic problems." Dean hung his head and sighed. "I'm sorry, Cas. I'm so sorry. If we had been there to help you, then maybe you wouldn't have gone to that demon dick, Crowley. Maybe you wouldn't have needed to open Purgatory, and the Leviathans wouldn't of," Dean glanced up at Cas, then back down at his hands, "gotten out. All of the lives that were taken ... Sam and I share some of that blame. But still, what blame we may share-"

"Dean stop." Dean looked back up. Cas closed his eyes, sighed, then opened them back up again to look back down at the hunter. "It wasn't my intention to make you feel guilty or to put any of the blame on you. Though it is very generous of you to think that your actions could have changed the outcome of this, or to think that the situation was your responsibility. Raphael still wanted The Apocalypse to happen. It was my decision to try and stop him.

"You couldn't come to Heaven with me. You couldn't fight Angels in our true form, let alone be in our presence when we're in it. What I did needed from you was to help me think about the choices I needed to make. When all I had to do was follow Michael and the plan for The Apocalypse, there was only obedience and the plan. When I decided to fight the plan, I had no guidance, no book of the Lord to turn to for wisdom. What I could have used was someone to help me think about which rights and wrongs I needed to keep, and which to set aside for a greater purpose.

"I think I needed something, someone, to help me think outside the rules of Heaven that had always defined my existence. I felt that you and Sam could have done that for me; you often argue with each other over what's right and what's wrong in difficult situations. But it seemed to be a gift that our Father had given to you as humans. It didn't feel right to ask you to share it with me. I wanted you to know I needed help, and I hoped that you would have seen that I needed help. But my rules told me not to ask, only to accept it if it was offered. I think now that that is one of the rules I should have broken."

Dean stood up and put his hand on Cas's shoulder. "Cas, look, I suck as a mind reader, so if something like this happens again, you're gonna have to clue me in, okay buddy? Just tell me what I can do for you and I'm there, got it?"

Cas gave a weak smile and nodded, thankful for knowing that next time something monumental was happening, that Dean would be there for him; that he could ask the hunter for help. "Yes Dean. Thank you for saying that, and for acknowledging that I was asking for help. I just wish that I had done a better job of it."

Dean gave his shoulder a light squeeze. "Like you said Cas, you were doing the best you could. It would have gone against everything your Father had told you to ask me for help, and I get that now, But," Dean shifted his gaze to the floor and shook his head, "but I honestly think I would've listened, no matter how you asked us." Dean met the Angel's eyes again and added somberly, "And I'm sorry for that too."

Cas thought about that for a few long moments, then held out his arms. He needed a hug from Dean to let him know they were okay. So did Dean. Cas also needed it for comfort after a major fight with his best friend. And really, so did Dean. So, in a moment of abnormal behavior, Dean gave Cas a hug.

At some point, Dean realized that the embrace was lasting longer than he meant it to. When he pulled away, it was not very far. They were still holding on to each other, their lips inches apart. They hovered there for a few moments.

Cas had a small smile, thankful that everything was okay between them. Dean looked confused and slightly terrified, which made Castiel confused.

Dean took a quick, unintentional glance at Cas's lips, then, before he could shove Cas away, the angel looked embarrassed and took a step back.

"Sorry. I momentarily forgot about humans' need for personal space. My apologies."

For the life of him, Dean could not think in coherent thoughts. His speech was not that much better. "I, uh, um, ri-right, per-personal space. Th-thanks Cas."

Cas tilted his head at the unusual way Dean had spoken. "Is something wrong, Dean?" The angel straightened his head and raised his eyebrows, "You're stuttering."

"Uh," Dean cleared his throat, "no, nope. Everything's fine. I'm just, tired."

"Should I leave so that you may get some rest?"

Dean scratched the back of his head, "Uh, yeah, that, that'd be good. Night Cas." Dean waved like an idiot.

Cas squinted his eyes, still baffled by Dean's sudden change in speech and behavior. He nodded. "Goodnight Dean." And with a flutter, the angel was gone.

Dean just stood there, squinting at nothing as he thought about the glance he stole of Cas's lips. He blamed the glance on pure proximity. He refused to believe that he was attracted to the man, or any man for that matter. He was Dean Fucking Winchester, and Dean Fucking Winchester does not like dudes!

Dean shook his head then called Sam to let him know he could come back; he and Cas had their little chat.

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***Haunted is a song by Taylor Swift. Or it's the one by Evanescence. Your choice.**

****I'm Sorry is a song by Flyleaf.**


	2. Going For A Ride

**A/N: As a reminder, Dean's thoughts are **_ITALICIZED_** and Sam's thoughts are in BOLD.**

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**Series One, Episode Three, Chapter Two**

**Going For A Ride***

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While Dean had been talking to Cas, Sam had taken his laptop to the bar that he and Dean had went to their first night in town, in order to search for another case. He was surprised when he quickly found one 12 or so hours away in Easlsey, South Carolina. The brothers left the next day around 7:00am.

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Sam was fast asleep in the passenger's seat when Dean realized Cas was sitting in the back. For a nanosecond, Dean recalled the previous evening - that is, the glance he stole of the angel's lips - but he mentally brushed it off.

Figuring Dean would not want to wake Sam by having a conversation, the angel pressed two fingers to the sleeping Winchester's forehead.

_What the fuck?_ "What's you just do, Cas?"

"I thought that you wouldn't want to unintentionally wake Sam, so I merely made sure he would sleep through our conversation. I did the same to you when you weren't speaking with me."

"Wait, what? You did that to me too?"

The look on Cas's face was almost somber. "Like I said, Dean, you weren't speaking to me at the time."

_Right. _"Uh, ok. So, when you did that to me, what did you talk to Sam about?"

Cas looked reluctant to say anything, but he answered. "You. How you were doing. If either you or Sam needed my assistance."

Dean's brow furrowed, "Okay. Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome, Dean," the Angel replied seriously.

Dean shifted in his seat, "And you're here now because...?"

"Well, now that you are speaking to me again, I wanted to ask you directly if there's anything you needed. Also, the last time we spoke, you seemed to have begun developing a speech impediment. It was odd. I wanted to know if you had recovered. It appears you have."

Dean did not know what to say to that. He could not have told the angel that it was because he looked at his lips. So Dean merely said, "Uh, yeah, I guess."

They sat in silence for a few moments. "So, is there anything I could help you with?"

"Oh right. Well, uh, Sammy and I are on our way to a possible case. Sam said that a family of five was found dead in their home with all the windows and doors locked." Dean hesitated before adding, "You can come too, if you want."

"I would like that," Cas answered a little too quickly.

"Awesome," Dean said a little too enthusiastically, and he had no idea why. "Hey, so, uh, when's Sammy gonna wake up?"

"I can wake him now if you like."

Dean shook his head, "Nah, let him sleep until it's his turn to drive."

After about five minutes, the hunter became uncomfortable with the silence.

"So... How are things in Heaven?" Dean asked.

Cas shifted uncomfortably, looked at his hands, then met Dean's eyes in the rearview mirror. "I haven't been back since I have awakened. Gabriel has kept me busy. He is in charge now."

Dean chuckled. "Gabriel, in charge?" He chuckled again.

"Although Gabriel's return has caused some controversy, he is the only Archangel that isn't either dead, or um," Cas swallowed at the memory of killing his brother, and of all the other brothers and sisters he murdered, "or um, in the Cage. As such, he is the most logical one to be the new leader."

Dean smiled. "That may sound logical to you, Cas, and for all I know he'll do fine as the Captain of Heaven's football team, but that still is... hard for me to picture."

Cas tilted his head, "Heaven doesn't have a football team."

Dean stifled another chuckle. _I had to of seen that one coming._ "I know Cas, it's a metaphor."

Cas turned his gaze to stare blankly out the window to his right. "I see."

Dean smiled; Cas was being his normal self, the one that Dean had been missing for so many months.

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After five hours, it was Sam's turn to drive. Dean pulled over to the side of the road. Cas pressed two fingers to the sleeping Winchesters head, then pulled his hand back before Sam opened his eyes.

"My turn to drive?" Sam asked sleepily as he sat up in his seat.

"Yup. Oh, and Cas is gonna hang with us for a while."

"Oh," Sam said in a haze. He sleepily peered into the back, "Hey Cas." He scratched his head, "Uh, why are you comin' with us?" He knew that his brother and the Angel had made nice, but he did not think that Dean would be ready to have Cas tag along with them 'for a while,' **Whatever that means**.

Dean shrugged. "I asked if he wanted to and he said yes."

**Really?** Sam yawned, "Okay." Then the younger Winchester realized that it had been four weeks since his brother and the angel had been in the same place. This was huge. He grinned, "I guess you two kissed and made up then?"

Dean's eyes widened and a flash of Cas's lips went through his mind. He swallowed.

Cas quinted and shook his head, "We didn't kiss. We hugged." The Angel looked to Dean, "Is kissing the proper way to end a dispute such as we had?"

That little question made Dean shift in his seat. _ I am so not going to look at Cas's lips!_

Sam's eyebrows shot up and he busted out laughing. "W-w-wait! Dean actually hugged you? He, like, never hugs anyone! Wow. I guess that means Dean's got a crush on you."

Dean covered his embarrassment that comment caused him with a face that made Sam think his brother was truly going to kill him. "Shut up Sam! I do not have a crush on Cas!" He opened the door and put his left foot on the ground. "Your turn to drive." Dean got out of the car, slammed the driver's side door, walked around to the passenger's side, opened the door, and pretty much dragged Sam out of the car - Sam who was still giggling like a schoolgirl despite his brother's expression.

With a death grip on his brother's bicep, Dean told Sam, "I. Hate. You," then shoved the bigger man aside so he could get in the car.

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Sam pulled into the parking lot of the Carolina Wren Motel at 7:40pm. Their fourth floor motel room was pretty typical: two beds, a tv, a desk, and a bathroom and closet across from each other just inside the door. Across from the entrance were a set of big windows.

"Great," both brothers said. Cas did not understand what was so great about the room, but he decided to not bother asking.

Dean tossed his bag on the bed closest to the door, so Sam got the other bed by default. After he placed his bag on the bed, the younger Winchester realized they neglected to think about Cas.

"So, Cas. Um, what do you plan on doing while Dean and I are asleep?"

Cas nodded to the char between Sam's bed and the windows. "I could sit there quietly and watch over you both while you sleep." Neither of the Winchesters said anything, they just stared at him blankly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No Cas. It's uh, it's just - well, it'd be kind of creepy if you were sitting in the chair all night just watching Sam and I sleep."

Cas thought about that, "I see. What would you rather I do while you both sleep?"

A VERY small part of Dean said,_ Be in bed with me_, which freaked out the other parts of Dean that were paying attention to that part. Dean either did not acknowledge any of those parts, or he did not even realize that he had parts that felt that way.

"Uh, yeah, if that's alright with you." Sam answered.

"Or you could sit in the chair and pretend you were sleeping." Dean offered, getting a** what-the-fuck?** look from Sam.

Cas went over to the chair, sat in it with his back straight, his hands in his lap, and his eyes closed. "Like this?"

Dean stifled a laugh. "Not quite. Here, get up, I'll show you."

Sam still had a** what-the-fuck?** look on his face.

Cas got up from the chair and stepped aside. The hunter walked between the bed and the chair, - in order to no bump into Cas - sat down, put his legs up on the footrest, and positioned himself so that his head rested on the back of the chair.

He opened his left eye to look at Cas, "See? Just like this? Got it?"

Sam looked at his brother like he was insane.

"Although that looks uncomfortable," Cas nodded, "yes, Dean, I understand."

"Good." Dean opened both eyes, sat up straight, and clapped his hands together. "Time for some grub."

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***Going For A Ride is a track on the soundtrack for the Serenity Motion Picture album.**


	3. Eat It

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**Series One, Episode Three, Part Three**

**Eat it***

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Mickey's Diner seated thirty people max. Dean chose the booth to the left of the entrance. Cas slid into the side of the red squishy booth that faced the door, and Sam slid in across from him. The elder Winchester figured Cas might be hurt if neither of the brothers sat next to him, especially Dean. Cas looked at Dean, half pleading and half expecting the hunter to slide in next to him. Although he had not cared all that much about how the Angel felt in the past, right now Dean really did not want to hurt the poor guy's feelings, so he joined Cas on his side of the booth. Sam looked between them but said nothing and smiled inwardly.

A plump blonde waitress named Tanya came over to their table with three menus. She gave a menu to Sam, then Dean, then Cas. Well, she tried to give one to Cas.

"Thank you, but I don't need a menu; I don't eat," Cas informed the waitress.

Tanya looked at Cas like he was a freak. "Oooookkkkkaaayyyy. Well, just in case..." The waitress continued holding the menu out to Cas, but he just kept staring at her, expressionless.

Dean looked from the waitress to Cas, and back to the waitress again. He put on a smile, and took the menu with a "Thanks". Then, with his eyes still on the waitress, Dean hit the Angel in the chest with said menu. Cas instinctively took hold of the object.

~As the waitress was walking away, she heard Dean say, "You can't go around telling people you don't eat! They'll think you have an eating disorder!" Tanya scrunched her face in confusion because the young man had seemingly acknowledged that the older man did not eat.~

"My mistake. I will accept the menu next time one is offered to me."

Dean rolled his eyes, "Just read the damn thing and pretend like you might actually want something." Dean looked down at his own menu. "Look here," he said with a smile, "best burgers and fries in the county. How 'bout that? You still like burgers?"

Cas recalled 'his' brush with Famine, and tried to decide if burgers still made him 'very happy'. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Well how 'bout we get you one anyway, and you'll eat it so that our waitress doesn't think you're a total nutcase."

"If you think that is what's best, Dean."

Again Dean rolled his eyes.

A few minutes later, Sam flagged down the waitress and, being the boring health nut, all he ordered was a salad and some water. Dean ordered burgers and Cokes for both him and Cas.

"Oh, so you do eat?" Tanya asked mockingly.

Dean squinted slightly at her,_ I'm the only one who can make fun of Cas. You're so not getting a good tip. Wait, why do I care?_

Cas started to say something but Dean cut him off, "He has a weak spot for a good burger."

After the waitress went off to give the cook their orders, Dean asked Sam for more details on the case. Sam pulled out his laptop and brought up the article that had led them to Easley.

Sam said in his 'informative' voice, "The Walkers, family of five, were found dead in their home. All of their throats had been slashed, and all the doors and windows were locked from the inside. The article goes on to say that they had just moved into the home in May and were working on fixing up the place after it had been abandoned for as long as anyone could remember."

"So we're thinking ghost of the previous owner?" Dean assumed.

Sam nodded, "Probably. I'll go to the library tomorrow, see what I can find out about the house's history."

Dean swallowed a mouthful. "Fine by me. I'll go ask the neighbors if they saw or heard anything."

"What should I do," asked the Angel as he munched on a fry.

_Shit, totally forgot about Cas._ "I, uh, think you should go with Sam. Last time you played Fed, well, it didn't go so good."

"Uh, yeah, that's fine with me," Sam said. "It'd make things go faster if I had another pair of eyes."

"If that is where you both think I will be most helpful."

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After the three had finished their meals, they went back to the motel room. Cas decided that he would not stay while the boys were sleeping. Instead he spent the night sitting in Mile Creek County Park, overlooking Lake Keowee. Cas liked lakes, rivers, ponds - anything that was water. He found that water had a calming effect on him. And waiting for the Winchesters to wake up gave the angel hours of free time to stare at the water in reflection.

When Castiel had regained his sanity, he thought he still had Dean, but the hunter just pushed him away. Now that Castiel was back in both the Winchester's good graces, he didn't feel so alone. Receiving Dean's affection again had lifted one of many weights off his shoulders that he had not realized he had been carrying.

Cas had been unaware that what he was feeling for Dean in the hunter's absence was need. The need to be with Dean, to be around him; to have the hunter's friendship and support. But when Dean sent him away, he became lost.

Cas could not go back to Heaven; he could not bare to see what he had done to it. And whenever he spoke to Gabriel, the Archangel never talked about the state of what used to be his home. A small part of Cas did want to go back to Heaven though, to repent, to apologize. But he feared what he would find; the aftermath of what he had done; what effect the consequences would have on him.

Cas had already felt horrible for all that he had done, and during the four weeks he did not have Dean to talk to, he had to fight against himself everyday to not take his own life.

Now that he was back in Dean's life, he did not think he would survive being cast out by the man again. Cas swore to himself that he would never do anything to hurt Dean, or jeopardize their friendship, ever again.

It still hurt him to think about Purgatory, the unintentional release of the Leviathans, his dealings with Crowley, and his interaction with Dean a month ago. His behavior and all the damage he had caused still haunted him, and he knew it always would.

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***Eat It is a Weird Al Yankovic parody of the song Beat It by Michael Jackson. They were in a diner and I couldn't think of any other (clever) song titles I could have used as a title for this chapter. My brain's an ass like that sometimes.**


	4. What I've Been Looking For

**A/N: I pretty much broke up the last chapter into three "little" chapters, which is why they are are shorter than the first three.**

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**Series One, Episode Three, Part Four**

**What I've Been Looking For***

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Sam and Castiel entered the surprisingly large library. Even though all the walls and carpeting were a light grey, the multiple large windows made the room feel light and airy.

The younger Winchester scanned the large front room for anyone wearing a nametag. He spotted one on a tall, blonde young woman as she turned away from the magazines. "Excuse me, miss," Sam called as he walked after the woman.

She turned around and walked towards Sam and Cas. "May I help you with something, sirs." She gave them a bright white smile.

"Uh, yes," Sam looked down at her nametag, "Amber. I'm James, and this is Elliot. We're from the Easley Gazette. We're writing a piece on the Walker family murder, and we were wondering where we could find information on the house's history."

"Should be downstairs," she looked over at and pointed to a set of green doors on the left. She made hand motions as she gave them directions, "The stairs are through those doors, then on your right. Take them down one level, then go through the red doors. Walk down the hall, turn left at the first hallway, and the Easley Archives Room will be the second door on your right. Residencies are listed alphabetically by street name, then by number." Sam gave a quick nod and a thank you before he and Cas followed Amber's directions.

The door leading to the Easley Archives room was a bit heavy, and led to a room that was a little larger than Sam imagined. In the chilly room there were four wooden tables in the corner to the left. The rest of the room was filled with stacks of books organized in just the way Amber had described. It did not take long for Sam to find the histories for the house the Walkers lived in - a.k.a. 3695 Pennbrooke Lane. There were two volumes on the history of the home: one from its construction in the 1800s to the year 1900, the second one started in 1901 but had no end date. Sam took the 1800 to 1900 book, and gave Cas the other one.

The two took their books to one of the tables. After about five minutes Cas looked up from his book. "I may have found what we're looking for." Cas turned the volume around and pushed it towards Sam.

Sam scanned the page and nodded, "I think you're right, Cas."

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Dean did not find out anything from the Walker's neighbors, so he went back to the motel. He lied in his bed, drinking a beer and watching a marathon of Dr. Sexy, M.D. when he heard the click of the door opening. Dean quickly switched stations, but ended up on the Home Shopping Network.

"You suddenly an old lady who just got their Social Security check?" Sam asked.

"Watch South Park too much?" Dean retorted defensively. "You find anything, Sam," he asked a little harshly then sipped his beer.

Sam ignored his brother's tone. "Uh, yeah. Get this, apparently in 1923 the house was abandoned after its owner, Lucas Marshall, killed his wife and two daughters, then shot himself. The bodies of his family were never recovered. In the father's suicide note he confessed to murdering and dismembering his wife and daughters' bodies, then burying them somewhere off the property. But his letter didn't specify where he buried the bodies or why he killed his family. But get this, the letter also said that he cleaned up all the blood because the house was too beautiful to leave it a mess."

Dean scrunched up his face in confusion. "He didn't want to leave it a mess? Then why the Hell did he shoot himself?"

Sam shrugged, "Dean, the guy was a nutcase who killed his whole family. Why would that make more sense then killing his wife and daughters for apparently no reason?"

Dean had to give his brother that one. "So, we thinkin' he's the ghost? A typical locate, salt and burn?"

"There is no body." Cas informed him. "Lucas Marshall was cremated."

"Great so_ maybe_ he's the ghost, and_ maybe_ there's something in the house that's keeping him there." Sam shrugged. Dean finished his beer and put the bottle on the nightstand. The older Winchester pushed himself off the bed. "Guess we better go find out."

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***What I've Been Looking For is a song from High School Musical. Yes, you read that correctly. I used a song from a crappy Disney movie as a chapter title for a Supernatural fanfic. I'm ashamed I even know this song.**


	5. Burn

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**Series One, Episode Three, Part Five**

**Burn***

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The sun was setting in the west as the troop arrived at 3695 Pennbrook Lane. Sam and Cas stood at the trunk of the Impala as Dean passed out shotguns and rocksalt rounds. The elder Winchester led the way up the stairs to the front door. He turned the handle and the door creaked as he pushed it open. Sam and Cas followed Dean through the door which Cas shut behind them once they were all inside.

"Alright. Sam, you search the basement. Cas, you take this floor. I'll take the upstairs."

The three went their separate ways.

Cas figured the study was the most logical place to search first, seeing as how that was where Lucas Marshall had killed himself. The newly painted room had a fireplace to the left, and to the right was a blank wall. Unpacked boxes of books were still positioned under the built-in bookshelves to the right and left sides of the fireplace. In front of the bay window was a mahogany desk and a blood-red cushioned swivel chair. The Angel tilted his head and walked to the wall to the right.

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Sam found the door to the basement in the newly-upgraded kitchen which was decked out with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. With caution, Sam opened the basement door and warily descended the creaky wooden steps. The basement was small and damp, and had a faint mildew smell. There were cheap bookshelves that held nothing and new laundry machines, but not much else.

Sam could not find anything that might have dated back to the 1920s, so he figured he would go help Cas on the first floor. When he went back upstairs, Sam looked out the windows in the kitchen and saw that the sun had fully set. He went on alert knowing that the ghost would probably come out of nowhere at any moment.

"Cas?" Sam shouted.

"I'm in the study Sam." The Winchester walked into the study and found Cas looking intently at the wall. "I believe I've found something. May I use on of your knives?"

Sam looked around the room, keeping an eye out for the ghost. "Why can't you use your Angel thing?"

Annoyed, Cas responded, "Angel Killing Sword, and being used as a tool to carve into a wall is not its intended purpose."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Fine, here," he said, then handed Cas one of his non-demon-killing knives.

The Angel was about to thank Sam for the knife when they heard a shot upstairs.

"Dean?" Sam yelled, but he heard no response. "Cas, stay here and do, whatever it is you're doing." Sam ran out of the room. "Dean?" He yelled again as he ran up the stairs. Another shot rang out and then Sam heard banging on one of the doors.

"Sammy! Second door on the right! The bastard's locked me in here. Kick it down!

Sam darted towards the door. "Okay, move away from the door!" After giving Dean a moment to move out of the door's range, Sam kicked it in. As Dean looked at Sam, the younger Winchester saw a man in a gray suit and black hat appear behind Dean. "Dean duck!"

Dean ducked and Sam fired a salt round at the ghost. It dissipated.

"Come on, I think Cas found something," Sam said as he ushered his brother out of the room, then led him down the stairs to and into the study.

Cas was studying something small he was holding between his index finger and thumb. "I think I've found the object that is keeping Lucas Marshall's spirit here," the Angel stated.

On the other side of the desk, Marshall appeared. Dean shot him with a salt round and turned to Cas. "I think it's time for a salt and burn."

Sam held out an open hand towards the angel, "Give me the bullet, Cas." Cas complied. Sam took the bullet and quickly made his way to the fireplace. He removed the logs and their holder, tossing them aside.

"Sam!" Dean shouted.

Sam turned and saw Marshall standing over him holding a knife. A shot rang out and once again the spirit dissipated, only this time, it was Cas who had fired the round. The Winchester gave the Angel a nod and returned to pouring salt and gasoline over the bullet.

Sam lit the match, but dropped it as he was flung into the far wall, breaking his right arm. Suddenly Dean went flying and was pinned against the same wall, but on the other side of the window. Marshall stood at the doorway, smiling at Cas. Then the smile left the ghost's face and appeared on the Angel's.

"I'm an Angel of the Lord, your powers won't work on me. ... But mine will work on you."

Cas made a pushing motion with his hand, and the Marshall promptly flew into the darkness.

For a quick moment, Cas's display of power turned Dean on, but he shoved that thought away because for one, he wasn't gay, and two, now was not the time to be thinking about anything other than the spirit trying to kill them.

Cas held his palm towards the fireplace. Marshall appeared behind the Angel, holding the knife in the the air. The bullet burst into flames and so did the ghost behind Cas. Marshall screamed until he vanished a final time.

Dean was released and Cas went over to Sam and pressed two fingers to his forehead, instantly healing the Winchester's arm. The Angel helped Sam up.

"Thanks, Cas."

"You're welcome Sam."

Dean looked from the doorway to Cas. He walked over to the Angel. "That was pretty badass!"

Sam looked from the Angel to his brother. "Uh, yeah, badass," he repeated, slightly confused his brother being so outwardly appreciative.

Cas smiled slightly at the compliment. Dean rarely saw that smile; he thought the Angel should do it more often. The hunter mentally shook himself, _What the fuck is wrong with you, Winchester?_

"I had no idea that your powers worked on ghosts. Maybe you should tag along more often," Sam told Cas.

Cas full-on smiled. "I would like that Sam."

Dean held back a smile, then mentally scolded himself for feeling like smiling in the first place.

**/-/-/**

* * *

**/-/-/**

After another job well done, the three stopped for burgers and pie before heading back to the motel.

The image of Cas displaying his power played over and over in Dean's mind. He even had a dream about it. Though, the way he reacted to it, one would assume that Dean had had a nightmare.

**/-/-/**

* * *

**/-/-/**

***Burn is a song by We Are The Fallen.**


	6. Stay

**/-/-/**

**Series One, Episode Three, Part Six**

**Stay***

**/-/-/**

Castiel sat watching the lake all night, waiting patiently for either of the Winchesters to wake up. He had hoped his brother Gabriel would contact him and let him know how things were going in Heaven, but the Archangel did not. So Cas just sat watching the lake until a little after 6:00 am.

Sam was in the shower when the Angel fluttered into the room. He sat down in the chair by Sam's bed, surveying the room before his eyes settled on the still sleeping Dean.

When Sam walked out of the bathroom, he was not surprised to see Cas, having told him last night when he should be awake by. "Morning, Cas," he whispered.

"Good morning, Sam," the Angel whispered back.

Sam walked over to the desk and picked up his laptop. "I'm going to an internet cafe to find another case. Wanna come with?"

Cas thought about it. "No. I think I will stay here so that I can let Dean know where you have gone, so he doesn't worry."

Sam knew the real reason Cas did not want to go was so that he could stay and watch his brother sleep. He thought it was kind of sweet, in a Cas kind of way. "Okay, see ya later."

Cas nodded at Sam and the younger Winchester left the room.

**/-/-/**

* * *

**/-/-/**

Dean woke up a while later, and the first thing he noticed was the Angel of Thursday. And that said Angel was staring at him with his intense blue eyes.

Cas gave the hunter a small smile, "Good morning Dean."

Dean hoped the Angel had not been watching his dreams, what with them involving Cas and all - a fact he tried to forget. It also made Dean feel strange to have Cas just sitting there, staring at him. "Uh mornin' Cas. When did you get here? Where's Sam?"

"I got here after Sam woke up. He said he was going to an internet cafe to look for another case."

_Good ol' Sammy._ "Kay." Dean began to get out of bed.

"Dean there's-"

Dean held up his index finger to silence Cas, then pointed to the bathroom. "Bathroom first, talk second."

"Of course. My apologies, Dean." The Angel waited patiently as Dean went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth.

Dean came out of the bathroom scratching his head. "Now, what do you want to talk about?"

Cas looked at the floor briefly, choosing his words carefully before he spoke. "Dean, I was wondering, may I stay with you and Sam a little while longer? Gabriel has not assigned me anything else to do. And I believe I proved that I could be very useful on a hunt."

Dean could tell that there was something wrong; that Cas was not going back to Heaven for a reason other than what he had said about Gabriel. A reason that pained him. Dean did not want to press the matter though, not after they had just gotten past a huge fight. So the hunter decided to let the Angel stay with them. "Ye-" Dean cleared his throat, "yeah, Cas, you can stay."

Cas gave a small, but still genuine smile. "Thank you Dean."

Dean shrugged, "Sure, no problem. It's the least I could do after," Dean looked to the ground, then back up at the Angel, "Well, everything."

The corners of Cas's mouth went up a bit in thanks, which made Dean give a small smile himself.

The hunter nodded towards the door. "Come on, Cas. Let's go eat."

**/-/-/**

* * *

**/-/-/**

***Stay is a song by Lisa Loeb.**


End file.
